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August 31, 2016

August 31, 2016

Without the witness of Christ’s resurrection, the rest of the gospel would never be enough to help the world understand what it means to truly live life to the fullest. Let the testimony of resurrection give rise to your understanding of God’s love and plan for your life.

“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him and spit on Him; they will flog Him and kill Him. [And then] on the third day He will rise again.’ The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what He was talking about.”

REFLECTIONS ON HIS WORD:

When it is all said and done, what we need to fill in the gaps of understanding the complexity of life and how to live in the midst of it is “the resurrection perspective.” Without resurrection, our faith is futile. Without resurrection, our faith is just a good thought and a hope-filled wish. Without resurrection, Jesus was just a good teacher promoting some great principles of living an exemplary life. In truth, resurrection is the difference between Jesus’ teachings and the Ten Commandments. He said it Himself, as John recorded “I came not to condemn the Law but to fulfill it.” Jesus fulfilled it not only by living it out (He never sinned nor transgressed against God’s expectations for righteous living) but by offering Himself as the only sacrifice for our sins that guaranteed forgiveness and eternal life for the believer. Eternal life is the result of fulfilling the commands of the law which we cannot do. But, Jesus’ resurrection does do that! It does it for us, who believe Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the Living God, as well! It took the resurrection experience and perspective to bring the disciples to an understanding of who Jesus was, who they were and who God is. We, as mighty men, cannot leave that particular element out of our testimony nor our service. We are about resurrection! Resurrection helps us to understand best what life is all about.

“Let HIM be seen in the mighty men of 2016.”

PRAYER CONCERNS: (Needs of God’s mighty men that will be answered out of faith, hope and love)

* For those caught in the literal and figurative whirlwinds, storms and typhoons of life that they find peace, refuge and recovery in the presence of Almighty God
* For those whose burden in life creates such desperation that taking the life of another as a means of escape and problem-solving seems reasonable and for their victims that they may have peace; as seen in the sex-trafficking slavery business of young girls
* For family and friends battling cancer and dementia at all stages of life and those seeking to be their caregivers and those who are their families
* For wisdom among the world’s leaders as wars and rumors of wars rise up; earthquakes, floods, great winds and fire abound; and civil unrest reaches out across all secular and non-secular lines and to lead God’s people into the truth concerning judgment, the end of days and Jesus’ return for we are moving closer to it each day.
* For those who are seeking to put an end to human trafficking that their success would be overwhelming so that the healing may be equally so
* For Louisville, Kentuckiana, Goodwill, NECC and the people of Cambodia
* For the needs of my family near and far and our friends healing, reconciliation and wisdom; for a new job placement that aligns with God’s purpose intended for me; for needs of my family now that far exceed our ability to handle on our own and comfort to our parents who are committed to their new realities; wisdom to know truth and relate it adequately; for guidance in a difficult financial situation

PRAYER CELEBRATIONS (where we see Him at work in the world):

* God continues to provide prosperity at 5226 as I trust Him in so doing and give thanks praying for sufficient and proficient employees and the wisdom to meld a team spirit by staying humble before God and co-workers
* God is preparing me for our next ministry with current conditions to learn to walk more humbly
* God is good all the time and all the time God is good- even when we cannot see it!

ABIDING IN PRAYER: Father, thank You for giving us the key to understanding the power we can have in life which is resurrection through Jesus our Savior, in whose name we pray, live and serve. We will seize upon it and share it with others today. AMEN.

August 30, 2016

August 30, 2016

It isn’t that we cannot see the truth sometimes but rather we miss the kingdom perspective to see the truth clearly and powerfully. This is when we need to ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to show us the way, the truth and the life which is ours in Jesus Christ.

“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him and spit on Him; they will flog Him and kill Him. [And then] on the third day He will rise again.’ The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what He was talking about.”

REFLECTIONS ON HIS WORD:

“Its meaning was hidden from them.” Sometimes things are so obvious that we simply do not see them. And then there are other times that we just do not see them. Our thinking and our understanding still has gaps in it which have not yet been filled. No matter how much others may get it, we just don’t. I remember when I was in the fourth grade, we were asked to draw a picture of a colonial settlement. We had a sketch of one in our textbook. However, when I tried to draw one like it I became frustrated. I couldn’t understand what was wrong. At the time, my uncle Norman was living with us. He had the eye of an architect. He showed me that what was missing in my drawing was the element of perspective. The buildings in the book were seen as if looking from an angle above and to the left. It was giving the sketch more of a three dimensional look. I had never heard of such a thing. I could see it but I didn’t understand it. As he drew buildings from different directions I began to grasp the concept. I tried drawing a few myself. Though they were far from perfect, I was doing much better.

The same is true for the disciples. There were elements of understanding that just hadn’t been set in place. Jesus was teaching them about seeing the world from a different perspective- a kingdom perspective. It would take a few more lessons but the days of His teaching them were diminishing. Some would get “the picture” sooner than others but eventually they all began to understand. God desires for us to have a depth of field, a kingdom perspective, as we share in His vision of life. Jesus provides that perspective. As we study His gospel teachings and the peoples’ responses to them, our eyes will begin to focus and the gaps of understanding will begin to fill in. Suddenly we will see far more clearly than ever before. It takes times- a time of study, prayer and practice.

“Let HIM be seen in the mighty men of 2016.”

PRAYER CONCERNS: (Needs of God’s mighty men that will be answered out of faith, hope and love)

* For those whose burden in life creates such desperation that taking the life of another as a means of escape and problem-solving seems reasonable and for their victims that they may have peace; as seen in the sex-trafficking slavery business of young girls
* For family and friends battling cancer and dementia at all stages of life and those seeking to be their caregivers and those who are their families
* For wisdom among the world’s leaders as wars and rumors of wars rise up; earthquakes, floods, great winds and fire abound; and civil unrest reaches out across all secular and non-secular lines and to lead God’s people into the truth concerning judgment, the end of days and Jesus’ return for we are moving closer to it each day.
* For those who are seeking to put an end to human trafficking that their success would be overwhelming so that the healing may be equally so
* For Louisville, Kentuckiana, Goodwill, NECC and the people of the Burundi
* For the needs of my family near and far and our friends healing, reconciliation and wisdom; for a new job placement that aligns with God’s purpose intended for me; for needs of my family now that far exceed our ability to handle on our own and comfort to our parents who are committed to their new realities; wisdom to know truth and relate it adequately; for guidance in a difficult financial situation

PRAYER CELEBRATIONS (where we see Him at work in the world):

* God continues to provide prosperity at 5226 as I trust Him in so doing and give thanks praying for sufficient and proficient employees and the wisdom to meld a team spirit by staying humble before God and co-workers
* God is preparing me for our next ministry with current conditions to learn to walk more humbly
* God is good all the time and all the time God is good- even when we cannot see it!

ABIDING IN PRAYER: Father, while we have eyes that can see we still need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to continue to teach us the kingdom perspective needed to see more clearly. Work in us today to teach us more as we go through this day sharing the good news of Jesus our Savior, in whose name we pray, live and serve. AMEN.

August 29, 2016

“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him and spit on Him; they will flog Him and kill Him. [And then] on the third day He will rise again.’ The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what He was talking about.”

REFLECTIONS ON HIS WORD:

“Its meaning was hidden from them.” Sometimes things are so obvious that we simply do not see them. You have heard “it is as plain as the nose on your face” or “if it were a snake it would have bitten me.” When I was a kid we played hide and seek. My favorite hiding place was laying parallel to a parked bicycle. Being as still as possible, I was often overlooked. Eventually my friends caught on but if there was someone new playing, my friends knew where I would be hiding first off. We have benefited from the truth being made visible to us. Yet, it is also true that the truth remains hidden from us. Perhaps it isn’t so much that it is not visible to us but that we just don’t see it. This is why we must study God’s word and reflect on it together. No one, but God, can see and know everything. So, it takes all of us working together to gain the clearer picture of God’s will for life in this world- personally, corporately and eternally. Yes, that includes the Holy Spirit who is given to us as our teacher, guide and comforter. There is so much we would never know or understand if it were not for having the Holy Spirit on our team. Mighty men of God, build a strong team for seeking out the truth in God’s Word and remain accountable for that search- it will benefit you and others.

“Let HIM be seen in the mighty men of 2016.”

PRAYER CONCERNS: (Needs of God’s mighty men that will be answered out of faith, hope and love)

* For those in Aleppo who were attacked during a funeral for children whose lives were lost in an earlier bombing
* For healing, recovery and comfort for those who have lost lives, family, homes, businesses and a positive sense of the future due to the devastating earthquakes in Myanmar and in Italy; and to those who will be rendering aide
* For those whose burden in life creates such desperation that taking the life of another as a means of escape and problem-solving seems reasonable and for their victims that they may have peace; as seen in the sex-trafficking slavery business of young girls
* For family and friends battling cancer and dementia at all stages of life and those seeking to be their caregivers and those who are their families
* For wisdom among the world’s leaders as wars and rumors of wars rise up; earthquakes, floods, great winds and fire abound; and civil unrest reaches out across all secular and non-secular lines and to lead God’s people into the truth concerning judgment, the end of days and Jesus’ return for we are moving closer to it each day.
* For those who are seeking to put an end to human trafficking that their success would be overwhelming so that the healing may be equally so
* For Louisville, Kentuckiana, Goodwill, NECC and the people of the Burkina Faso
* For the needs of my family near and far and our friends healing, reconciliation and wisdom; for a new job placement that aligns with God’s purpose intended for me; for needs of my family now that far exceed our ability to handle on our own and comfort to our parents who are committed to their new realities; wisdom to know truth and relate it adequately; for guidance in a difficult financial situation

PRAYER CELEBRATIONS (where we see Him at work in the world):

* Got to meet new friends at church and an opportunity to serve
* God continues to provide prosperity at 5226 as I trust Him in so doing and give thanks praying for sufficient and proficient employees and the wisdom to meld a team spirit by staying humble before God and co-workers
* God is preparing me for our next ministry with current conditions to learn to walk more humbly
* God is good all the time and all the time God is good- even when we cannot see it!

ABIDING IN PRAYER: Father, let us have eyes to see Your truth; not only ours but those who are walking by faith as well through Jesus our Savior, in whose name we pray, live and serve. AMEN.

August 28, 2016

August 28, 2016

It won’t matter whether we know what Jesus is talking about or not- the meaning will be fully revealed. It is inevitable for all the world. But, what does matter is whether we dare not try to understand and find ourselves at risk of losing all that God desires to offer those who will believe that Jesus, His Son, is the Christ.

“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him and spit on Him; they will flog Him and kill Him. [And then] on the third day He will rise again.’ The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what He was talking about.”

REFLECTIONS ON HIS WORD:

What is it we, as mighty men of God and disciples of Jesus Christ, do not understand about the words of the prophets and the recollections of the disciples concerning the ministry of Jesus including His tribulation of trial, death by crucifixion and the resurrection from the empty tomb? The disciples did not have the knowledge of those last events to support them as we do. They only had the words of the prophets from hundreds of years prior to inform them of what was yet to come. Could they have been in so much disbelief that their ears wouldn’t hear what the Spirit of God was saying? We know they lived in denial of Jesus’ teaching concerning Himself. This was the third time in Luke’s gospel where Jesus shares this hard message. It is a bitter pill to swallow for anyone. Jesus wasn’t looking forward to it Himself. Even today we have the tendency to live in denial of death and hardship. We know that God doesn’t will the death of anyone and that would include His own Son’s life! And it wasn’t God’s will that Jesus would die. He did not set out in the beginning saying “Oh, let me create my Son to die for people I will create who will be suffering because of the faithlessness of people.” But, it was inevitable as soon as Adam rejected his place in Eve’s life as protector and helpmate.

As surely as Adam broke covenant with God and Eve, Jesus sealed His covenant with God and His Bride, the Church. The Church wasn’t even formed yet. It’s reality was in the embryonic stage of those early disciples. The DNA of the Bride was implanted in the womb of the earth- those hearts and mind and soul of people who were daring to believe that Jesus was the Christ. But, it wasn’t fully born yet. It would not be until Pentecost that the Church would begin to take its first real breaths of Kingdom of God on earth air. Jesus knew it was going to happen. The will of God for life is inevitable, too. And Jesus was, is and will always be that life which is the life of all men (women and children, too) who choose to hear the truth, listen to its call and walk by faith not by sight. But, it wasn’t in those first disciples yet. They were thinking more with their passion of connection with Jesus who was their Master and Friend. They could not see His death because they weren’t finished seeing His life. It was more than they could imagine and more than they dared to let in. If they did at that moment, it would have broken their hearts. In fact, it did break their hearts as it was happening in the Garden of prayer, the Court of the Sanhedrin and on the cross of Calvary.

But, what excuse do we have? Yes, we did not see His arrest, His trial, His torment at the hands of Roman soldiers, His crucifixion nor His resurrection. What we have is the testimony of His followers just as His followers had the testimony of the prophets. And now they both point beyond Jesus’ resurrection which can give us hope. They point to His return in the days to come when the Groom will take His Bride and move into the house He has prepared for Her eternal in the heavens. But, are we living like we know this truth? Are we living by faith or are we still depending on our hindsight- looking back and not understanding that what is to come is coming. It is coming as surely as the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus came into the disciples immediate presence. And if it is coming, then what should we be doing about it? Is the Bride beckoning for Her groom? Is She preparing for His return? Is She declaring the truth of His coming? Is She dwelling in the place of righteousness where the life she is called to live is being lived in the fullness of grace with the commitment of conviction? Is the wedding party being planned and invitations sent out into all the world to come and see and be a part of the greatest thing that will ever happen on earth? Or do we, like the disciples of old, just not know what Jesus is talking about!

“Let HIM be seen in the mighty men of 2016.”

PRAYER CONCERNS: (Needs of God’s mighty men that will be answered out of faith, hope and love)

* For those who will be leading God’s people in worship, praise and service this weekend
* For those in Aleppo who were attacked during a funeral for children whose lives were lost in an earlier bombing
* For healing, recovery and comfort for those who have lost lives, family, homes, businesses and a positive sense of the future due to the devastating earthquakes in Myanmar and in Italy; and to those who will be rendering aide
* For those whose burden in life creates such desperation that taking the life of another as a means of escape and problem-solving seems reasonable and for their victims that they may have peace; as seen in the sex-trafficking slavery business of young girls
* For family and friends battling cancer and dementia at all stages of life and those seeking to be their caregivers and those who are their families
* For wisdom among the world’s leaders as wars and rumors of wars rise up; earthquakes, floods, great winds and fire abound; and civil unrest reaches out across all secular and non-secular lines and to lead God’s people into the truth concerning judgment, the end of days and Jesus’ return for we are moving closer to it each day.
* For those who are seeking to put an end to human trafficking that their success would be overwhelming so that the healing may be equally so
* For Louisville, Kentuckiana, Goodwill, NECC and the people of the Bulgaria
* For the needs of my family near and far and our friends healing, reconciliation and wisdom; for a new job placement that aligns with God’s purpose intended for me; for needs of my family now that far exceed our ability to handle on our own and comfort to our parents who are committed to their new realities; wisdom to know truth and relate it adequately; for guidance in a difficult financial situation

PRAYER CELEBRATIONS (where we see Him at work in the world):

* Got to spend a lovely evening with family celebrating the birthdays of my step-daughter and mother-in-law
* God continues to provide prosperity at 5226 as I trust Him in so doing and give thanks praying for sufficient and proficient employees and the wisdom to meld a team spirit by staying humble before God and co-workers
* God is preparing me for our next ministry with current conditions to learn to walk more humbly
* God is good all the time and all the time God is good- even when we cannot see it!

ABIDING IN PRAYER: Father, may the fire of Your Holy Spirit purge of lethargy and apathy and fuel us into the fullness of the discipleship we seek through Jesus our Savior, in whose name we pray, live and serve. AMEN.

“Peter said to Jesus, ‘We have left all we had to follow you!’
‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.'”

REFLECTIONS ON HIS WORD:

For a brief moment, in their grief at Jesus’ death, some of the disciples including Peter, tried to return to what they had left. It was a natural default behavior to revisit what had been the normal in the absence of the new normal. They could not return to Jesus because He was gone. They went back to fishing. But, it wasn’t satisfying. Their nets were empty; as empty as their lives seemed without Jesus. Even the company of one another was of little encouragement. Nothing seemed right. Even the trials and tribulations of learning to be disciples was more engaging and invigorating than their old way of life. Their hearts just weren’t in it. Then Jesus appeared. Their nets filled at His command. The breakfast He prepared satisfied the hunger of hope. His words of reconciliation fanned the flame of ministry into a holy fire of conviction and commitment. What they had left behind paled in comparison to what Jesus was offering to them. They could not go back to what they had given up to be His followers. They had to follow Him all the days of their lives. His life was their life. His Spirit was their Spirit. His future was their future. And it is ours as well. What He gives us now overshadows what we have had in our past- the bad especially but the good as well. If we follow Him, the day will come when the goodness we enjoy now because of our faith in Him will be overshadowed by the eternal life we will receive at His return. This life of possibility which God has made must move forward. Follow Him and surrender all you have into His hands and He will bless you in ways you cannot possibly imagine.

“Let HIM be seen in the mighty men of 2016.”

PRAYER CONCERNS: (Needs of God’s mighty men that will be answered out of faith, hope and love)

* For those who will be leading God’s people in worship, praise and service this weekend
* For the families of the two Mississippi nuns killed in their home in Mississippi and their families, the colleagues and those whom they served with faith, hope and love
* For healing, recovery and comfort for those who have lost lives, family, homes, businesses and a positive sense of the future due to the devastating earthquakes in Myanmar and in Italy; and to those who will be rendering aide
* For those whose burden in life creates such desperation that taking the life of another as a means of escape and problem-solving seems reasonable and for their victims that they may have peace; as seen in the sex-trafficking slavery business of young girls
* For family and friends battling cancer and dementia at all stages of life and those seeking to be their caregivers and those who are their families
* For wisdom among the world’s leaders as wars and rumors of wars rise up; earthquakes, floods, great winds and fire abound; and civil unrest reaches out across all secular and non-secular lines and to lead God’s people into the truth concerning judgment, the end of days and Jesus’ return for we are moving closer to it each day.
* For those who are seeking to put an end to human trafficking that their success would be overwhelming so that the healing may be equally so
* For Louisville, Kentuckiana, Goodwill, NECC and the people of the Brunei
* For the needs of my family near and far and our friends healing, reconciliation and wisdom; for a new job placement that aligns with God’s purpose intended for me; for needs of my family now that far exceed our ability to handle on our own and comfort to our parents who are committed to their new realities; wisdom to know truth and relate it adequately; for guidance in a difficult financial situation

PRAYER CELEBRATIONS (where we see Him at work in the world):

* God continues to provide prosperity at 5226 as I trust Him in so doing and give thanks praying for sufficient and proficient employees and the wisdom to meld a team spirit by staying humble before God and co-workers
* God is preparing me for our next ministry with current conditions to learn to walk more humbly
* God is good all the time and all the time God is good- even when we cannot see it!

ABIDING IN PRAYER: Father, into Your hands we commit our lives and surrender them gladly into Your service through Jesus our Savior, in whose name we pray, live and serve. AMEN.